Deployable soft tops for vehicles are commonly used in sport-utility vehicles that are used for recreational purposes. Such soft tops can typically be moved between a normally deployed configuration that protects the occupants of the vehicle from various weather conditions, and a stowed configuration that exposes the passenger compartment to ambience when the weather is pleasant and it is desired by the occupants to enjoy the more favorable and refreshing weather conditions while driving. Many deployable soft tops and manually deployed by the driver of the vehicle, perhaps with the assistance of another.
Current manually deployable soft tops are often considered quite cumbersome to move between the collapsed stowed configuration and the deployed configuration and vice versa. This is because, at least in part, the weight and size of the soft top is significant and often requires two or more people, one on each side of the vehicle, to move the soft top effectively and safely between the stowed and deployed configurations. Consequently, a need exists for a manual soft top having a fabric supporting collapsible frame that is movable from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration and vice versa by a single person. Moving the soft top between the two positions should be quick, efficient, and easy for a single person standing on only one side of the vehicle. It is to the provision of such a manual soft top and to a spring assist mechanism therefor that the present disclosure is primarily directed.